Safety & Prevention Against Coyotes

The City of Garden Grove has established a hotline number to report coyote sightings: (714) 741-5286.

Callers should include date, time, and location of sightings.

Seeing a coyote walking down a busy street in Orange County isn’t as uncommon as most would think. Recent coyote sightings around Orange County, including Garden Grove, give reason for reminding residents of important safeguards to protect pets against these wild animals.

According to Orange County Animal Care, contrary to popular belief, coyotes do not require open space to survive, and are very comfortable living in close proximity to humans. The agency adds that most coyotes seen in urban areas are offspring of generations of coyotes who have lived and flourished in populated areas.

Coyotes are found in every state of the nation, except for Hawaii, says the U.S. Humane Society, which promotes techniques to compassionately co-exist with coyotes. Some techniques include:

Keeping pets and pet food inside. If feeding outside, feed pets for a set time during the day (no more than one hour) and remove the food bowl when finished; remove pet water bowls.

Keeping cats and small dogs indoors or in the close presence of an adult.

Removing fallen fruit from the ground.

Bagging food wastes such as meat scraps or leftover pet food.

Keeping trash in containers with tight-fitting lids. Only place the cans curbside the morning of collection.

Keeping yards free from potential shelter such as thick brush and weeds, and enclosing the bottoms of porches and decks.

Using “hazing” behaviors to shoo away coyotes, such as standing tall, yelling and waving arms while approaching the coyote; using a whistle, air horn, bell or other device; banging pots or pans together; stomping your feet; or using a water hose, pepper spray, or vinegar water in spray bottles to shoot at the coyote.

Never run away from a coyote.

OC Animal Care Services recommends calling them at (714) 935-6848 to determine if an Animal Control Officer is needed. Do not contact the City of Garden Grove. If the coyote is posing an imminent threat to life, call 911.

The mission of the City of Garden Grove is to provide responsible leadership and quality services as we promote safety, cultural harmony, and life enrichment.

Vision

The vision of Garden Grove is to be a safe, attractive, and economically vibrant city with an informed and involved public. We are a diverse community that promotes our unique attributes and preserves our residential character.